Strength on a cut15628

Hey what's up folks? Beginning a quick cut to trim some fat gain. Clothes beginning to be snug from my bulk. Plan on cutting 4-6 weeks. Then back to lean bulking. I know for long cuts, your strength probably decreases. Just wondering if you folks experience drastic or just minor strength loss during your cuts? I know you're supposed to lift heavy regardless, just an inquiry.

OP if you cut slowly and calculate your macros really well, you shouldn't notice that big of a difference in strength. just do less overall volume. lets say uve been doing 6 reps on 225 bench. when ur cutting just aim for 3-4 reps so you don't tax your muscles too much. that'll be enough to maintain the strength and muscle. i start to get weaker if my ego kicks in and i go to failure and don't rest as long as i need between sets

@Tamere02 yea, that's what I wanted to know for a long cut. Thx for the input. I figured my lifts wouldn't decrease during a short cut. I doubt that I'd ever do a long cut again, but just wanted to know in case I decided to. Thx again

@Tamere02 so you're saying you should go to failure with compound movements on a cut? or maybe you're saying you should train on a cut as if you're bulking? lol never heard this before. reducing volume is generally advised when cutting, but hitting the same maxes, for slightly less overall volume

@dserious111 I am cutting right now, for 4 weeks. Have not noticed a lot of strenght decreases yet, although I am keeping my deficit too a minimum. Am only dropping about 1 pound a week, but weights are staying the same. If I were to get less strong I will decrease volume, do less sets/exercises and keep the weights the same. I also try to keep my carbs as high as possible. Feels like it really helps me keep energy throughout my workout.

Lost 4kg. Still increasing deads, ohp and squats.
Rate of cut. The more conservative the loss, better the strength retention and possibly PRs still attainable.
You're not prepping for a comp or cutting weight for a show so no rush.

@twreck7
Going to failure depends on your programme. e.g. my programme has me at the end of a cycle hit the big 3 for 1-4 reps and theres only 2 outcomes whether cutting or bulking ,I get 4 or I fail a rep.

Reducing volume and reducing intensity isn't the same. If you can hit 4x6 reps on bench and you drop a set your reducing volume while keeping your intensity the same.

Hitting 4x4 reduces both the volume and intensity.

Overall all I wanted to say was going from hitting 200lbs for 6 to hitting it for 4 is a loss of strength so advising the OP to just constantly hit less reps then he does now with the same weight isn't optimal for maintaining strength

No. There's a difference between planned failure and "oops, I genuinely thought I had one more rep and thank God I had a spotter" failure. When you're determining a max, you should have a pretty good realistic idea when you're to the point of not being able to do another clean rep or add another 5 pounds. That one extra rep isn't going to magically elicit extra growth, and most times when it's a training max, form goes to shit because we should have stopped 5 pounds ago anyway. -3X

Originally Posted by eknightNo. There's a difference between planned failure and "oops, I genuinely thought I had one more rep and thank God I had a spotter" failure. When you're determining a max, you should have a pretty good realistic idea when you're to the point of not being able to do another clean rep or add another 5 pounds. That one extra rep isn't going to magically elicit extra growth, and most times when it's a training max, form goes to shit because we should have stopped 5 pounds ago anyway. -3X

Eloquently and accurately put. And those i see at my gym who depended so much on spotters, when they suddenly find they have to train solo due to some circumstance, they can't even lift shit. Looks like the "it's all you bro!" wasn't all you.